Convertible piano-bench.



E. B. GREGOR.

CONVERTIBLE PIANO BENCH.

APPLICATION Hum Ins. 1913.

1 1 19 2'75. Patented Dec. 1,1914. 2 SHEETS SHEET l.

WIT I a. M 2? .flg-vw 3r fi 865F124 04 B. BFGREGOR.

CONVERTIBLE PIANO BENCH.

urmon'mu FILED mars. 1913 1,1 19,275. Patented'Dec. 1, 1914.

2 SEEETS-SKEBT 2,

I f/filwg WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY rut Mantels PEYERS 60.. FnOm-Lnna. WASHING 73M. 11.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST B. GREGOR, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CONVERTIBLE PIANO-BENCH.

Application filed May 5, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNEST B. Gnnoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Convertible Piano- Benches, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the and which is readily raised to a position inclined to the horizontal when used in pump ing the piano player.

An object of the invention is a simple and comparatively inexpensive bench uickly and easily adjusted for use under either of the conditions mentioned and that is automatic in action requiring no acl]usting screws or the setting of any part to hold the seat in either position.

The invention further consists in thenovel arrangement of parts whereby the wei ht of the seat portion aids in the raising or owering of the connected parts.

The means by which these and further objects and novelties of the invention are accomplished are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a-piano bench showing the appearance of the bench when the seat portion is level and in its lowermost position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the appearance of the bench when the seat is raised and in its mclined position. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of part of the bench showing-the seat board being operated to actuate a latch whereby the returning of the seat board toward its original position raises the ad] ustable frame.

Fig. 4- is a similar view showingthe position of parts after the frame has been raised. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the latch and the actuating member to which it is pivoted m v the positions assumed thereby when the seat board is raised. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the parts inthe position assumed Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

Serial no. 765,479.

during the raising of the auxiliary frame. lug. z, is a similar view showing the parts in position assumed when the cover and aux iliary frame are in their lowermost position. Fig. 5 1s a detail showing the hinge device connecting the auxiliary and the main.

frames.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings and specification.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the bench consists of a main box-like frame portion 1 supported in any approved manner as by the legs 2, 2, etc. As shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4:, an auxiliary frame 3 is provided, attached to and formingv art of which is a comparatively wide mol ing strip a in telescope engagement with the main frame 1, as herein after ,shown. The seat board 5 is hinged to the auxiliary frame 3 and as shown more clearly in Fig. 4,.the auxiliary frame 3 is hinged to the main frame 1 by a peculiar hinge arrangement near each end of the bench, the arrangement being such that if force be applied to one side of the auxiliary frame tending to raise it the frame will rise upon all sides alike. I

Preferably near the center of the bench.

and hinged to the seat board or cover is a slotted bar 6 to-the lower end of which is pivoted the latch 7. A pin 8, secured in a cross-bar 80 of the bench engages in the slot 9 of the bar 6, and also slidably supported on the cross-bar is a plate 10 supported in position by the pins 11 and 12 which engage in the slots 13 and 14 of the plate 10. The plate is also provided with lip-standing lugs 15 and 16 which areasuflicient distance apart to allow the widest part of the bar 6 to pass therebetween as it is moved up or down on the in .8 by actuation of the seat board 5. The )ar 6 is provided with a projecting portion 17 upon one edge thereof near the lower end which engages against the lug 15 on the plate 10 as the bar 6 is drawn upward from the position shown in Fig. 7 to the position shown in Fi 5, and in thus drawing the bar between the ugs the projection 17 slides the plate 10 to the right of the Fig. '4' bringing the lug 16 in position to be engaged by the projection 18 on the latch whereupon the latch assumes the position. shown in Fig. 3, with the hook part thereof in position to engage the pin .8 when the bar is moved downward by movement of the seat board.

The engagement-of the pin 8 by the latch stops the downward movement of the bar 6, and the seat board .then swivels on the hinge point 90, and as the forward'edge'of the seat is hinged to the auxiliary frame, at

19 as shown in Figs. 3 and t the swiveling,

of the seat board upon the point 90 raises the auxiliary frame 3 as the seat is swung downward toward its original positionas shown in Fig. 6.

As heretofore stated the auxiliary-framet is hinged to the main frame-:1 at each end of the bench and this .hinge' is preferably of the form shown more particularly in Figs 4: and S in which the member 20 ishi-nged at each end to the auxiliary frame 3, -and is also pivoted to the companion hinge member 21, which in turn is pivoted to the infill frame 1, the ulpper leaf '20 bein somewhat wider than the owerleaf 21, and t 1e leaf 21 is provided with the standards 22 and 23 preferably formed integmlly with thehinged.

member 21. The stnndhrd 22 is -of some what greater length than the-standard 23' and when the-hinge is extended and vthe auxiliary frame in its uppermost position the bars or standards. 22 and 23 assume a perpendicular position and form. a support for the seat boa rd. being of sufiicient rigidity for such purpose,- and. the standardQQ being of greater lengththan. the standard 23, the

seat board, in thisposition of ports, remains in an inclined position. This is desirable for the reasonthat the-bench when m the raised positiomshown istobe rused with e pneumatic piano player. which the operatorpumps by means of the feet, and the inclined position of .the seat board prevents the operator. from sliding backward by reason of pushing against the operating pedals; As may be seen more clearly in '6, the moldingstrip 4: when -the:.-auxiliaryame is raised serves to cover thespaoe betweenthe auxiliary frame and themain frame-so that.

the bench presents a neat appearance and the interior mechanism is not exposed to To return. the eu xiliary'irameend. seat cover to its lowermost position as ShOWD'dni Fig. 7 from the raised position as shown a in Fig. 6, the seat -l)Ofl.ld.:iS- again. raised to the position as shown by-dottedlinesin Fig-'6, and in so doing the projectingrportionfit of the latch 7 engages the lug 15 on therplate 10 which forces the hook portion of the latch to the right and out of possibility of engagement with the. pin 8 during the down ward movement of the bar 6 when seat board is turned to the'right toward its original position. As the hook is now=free from .-e n

gagement with the-pin the weight of the-- auxiliary "frame endseat board will: cause them to naturally fall-to the position shown in Fig. 7. As the auxiliary framemoves to ward the main frame the hinged-members 20 and 21- foldtogether with the-standards and also move'out of position, and in order that they may move a sufiicient distanoe to be below the position to be finally ssumed by the seat board, the hinge member 20 is made somewhat wider than the hinge member 21. As is shown in Fig. 8, the point of pivoting the member 20 to themember 21 is as near the point of pirating the member 21 to the main frame as isfeasible in order that a. I

quick downward movement :of the'standaids may be: produced under the described 1 action. As itheuperts eonie to rest in their lowermost-position the. latch 7 and the sup. portmg: bar 6 assume the position shown in Fig. 7, andztheobar lO-fionthe crossbar is moved to theiright as far. as is possible so that" upon. the. next .upward movement of theulatoh theprojection 18 will engage the for-cg the. hook =.-part--of-'the-- latch over the pm In the construction;showmitis to be noted that-the weight ofthe. movable parts isutilized both imtheraising and the lowering of the auxiliary frame, theweight of the seat board itself beingutilized in raising the auxiliar; frame as-it swingson the pivot 90 and,- as before described,v the weight ofboth the -.frame and seat board causing the same to naturally v fall to their lowest position upon proper 1' actuation of v the latch.

like frame, an auxiliary frame; a seat board 1 formingea cover for the bench. and-hing to said auxiliary frame, andzmeans "actuatedby swinging the. cover whereby the auxiliary frame gmay be raised or lowered by move ment of the-seet-board about the hinge points.

2. Aqconnertible piano bench comprising a main box-like frame, an'auxiliary frame in telescopic. relation --therewith, a seat board .I.. lug .16 on the platerssi shown .inFig.f5 and m if forminge eover-.;for; the bench and hinged Y to the auxiliaryr freme, and-means whereby t-heauxiliary frame-may be-raised or lowered 1 b movement ofetheeseat'board about the hinge points- 3. Aconvertibl'e pianobench comprising a main bex-like frame, an open auxiliary frame in telescopic-relationtherewith, ex-.

tensible hinges connecting the main and awe ihary .-frames,--a seat boa-rdiorming a cover for-the benchand hinged-to theeuxiliary frame, and means whereby the. euxiliary ler v 3 frame may be raised or lowered by move- 5 a main box-like frame, an open auxiliary frame, extensible hinges connectini the main. and vauxiliary frame, a seat. card forming a cover for the bench and hinged to the auxiliary frame, means whereby the auxiliary frame may be raised or :lowered by movement of the seat board about the hinge points, and standards in operative relation with the extensible hinges whereby "when the auxiliary frame is raised and said hinges extended the standards are brought to position to support the seatboard and relieve the auxiliary frame of its weight.

5. A convertible piano bench comprising a. main box-like frame, an open auxiliary frame in telescopic relation therewith, a seat board forming a cover for the bench and hinged to the auxiliary frame, a latch carrying member pivoted to the seat board, a guide on the main frame for said latch carrying member,- a latch. carried by said member, means on the main frame operated by a movement of the latch carrying member adapted to throw the latch into and out of operative osition whereby initial movement of 0 seat board about the hinge points sets the latch and a succeeding movement of the seat board raises the auxiliary frame and a followin movement of the seat board disengages t e latch and lowers the auxiliary frame substantially as described.

6. A convertible piano bench comprising a'main box-like frame, an auxiliary frame Vslidable plate mounted and having lugs thereon, the latchcarrying in telescopic relation therewith, a seat board forming a cover for the bench and hi ed to the auxiliary frame, and means where y the auxiliary frame maybe-raised or lowered by movement of the seat'board about the hinge points; said means. comprisin a slotted atch carrying vmember plvo to the seat board, a pinor lug on the main frame passin through said slot and forming a guide or the movement of the latch carrying member, a latch pivoted to said member and adapted to en 'age the pin, a on the, main frame member being so formed and positioned as to slide the plate when moved by reason of its engagement with the lugs on the plate when moved up or down on the pin, said latch member having projecting portions adapted to enga e one or the other of said lugs when the" ateh carrying member is raised whereby it may engage or be disengaged from said pin substantially as described;

like frame, an open auxi iary ame, one of said frames-being inclosed by the other, a seat-board forming a cover for the bench and hinged to said auxiliary frame, and means whereby the auxiliary frame may be raised or lowered by movement of the seatboard about the hinge points.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two' witnesses.

ERNEST B. GREGORM 7. A piano bench com rising a main box Witnesses:

Rimr L. Coon, Cir'aimss E; WISNER.

Coplesot this patent maybe obtained for the cents-each, by addressing the Commissioner ct Patents,

Washington, D. 0." 

